Iulopis mirabilis Bovallius 1887

Dataset
A review of the families and genera of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Phronimoidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea): Rank
SPECIES

Classification

kingdom
Animalia: phylum
Arthropoda: class
Malacostraca: order
Amphipoda: family
Iulopididae: genus
Iulopis: species
Iulopis mirabilis

materials_examined

Type material Type material of I. mirabilis is in the SMNH (No. 1750). The type locality is the “ Pacific, Bay of Panama ” according to Bovallius (1887). Bovallius (1889) provides more detailed information: “ in the Bay of Panama; taken in 1882 by the author among the Isles de las Perlas, at San Jose, and in the Bahia de Tychs, Isla del Reg. ” Material examined (63 specimens) Types. Syntypic material from “ Panama Bay 1882 ”: male in spirit with G 1 & 2 and P 3 missing from the left; one microscope slide with mouthparts, antennae and G 1. Other material examined. North Atlantic: 2 lots (USNM), 10 lots (ZMUC), 19 specimens. South Atlantic: 1 lot (ZMUC), 1 specimen. North Pacific: 6 lots (ZMUC), 13 specimens. South Pacific: 2 lots (ZMUC), 2 specimens. North Indian: 4 lots (ZMUC), 7 specimens. South Indian: 14 lots (ZMUC), 16 specimens. Central IndoPacific: 1 lot (ZMB), 1 lot (ZMUC), 4 specimens. Diagnosis Body; length of sexually mature specimens 6 – 8 mm; less hirsute than I. loveni, only sparsely hirsute on dorsal part of head. Antennae 2 of female threearticulate. Mandibular palp present only in male. Gnathopod 1 subchelate, carpal process rounded, not produced, with scattered robust setae in addition to short, slender setae. Gnathopod 2 with triangular carpal process, produced to about middle of propodus, with scattered robust setae in addition to short, slender setae. Uropod 1 – 3 of female with rami about 0.75 x length of respective peduncles, with relatively long terminal setae on exopod of U 1 & 2 and on both rami of U 3. Telson of female about 0.7 x length of peduncle of U 3. Remarks This is an extremely rare species, and prior to this study was known from less than ten specimens worldwide. It is readily distinguished from its only congener, I. loveni, by the gnathopods, and in addition, males are distinguished by the presence of a mandibular palp and females by the presence of threearticulate second antennae. Specimens with pereopods 5 – 7 approaching the prehensile condition, found in some specimens of I. loveni, are not known. There are no records of this species in association with gelatinous plankton. Distribution Prior to this study, this species was only known from the North Atlantic Ocean (Bermuda) and from the tropical Pacific Ocean (off California, Bay of Panama, approx. 20 ºS, 81 ºW). Additional material, mainly from the Dana expedition (Jespersen & Tåning 1934), now extends the distribution of this species to the tropical and warmer waters of all the world’s oceans. However, unlike its congener, it is not known from the Mediterranean.

Name

Synonyms: Euiulopis mirabilis (Bovallius)
Homonyms: Iulopis mirabilis Bovallius 1887